Links
The Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has launched a new website - http://www.un.org/disabilities -The website in English is complete, while the new website in Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish and Russian will be launched in early 2008.
Incapacity Benefit is under review - the Disability Alliance website gives up top date information.
You might be interested in the BBC news site.
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The BME Information Service of Yorkshire and the Humber - www.bme.org.uk
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Go to Community Care's website for a social care news service which is updated every working day.
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The Department for Transport website has a section called Access for Disabled People
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The Department of Health website carries some interesting information. On 30th. January the Government published Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services - the Government's White Paper on improving community health and care services.
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The Disability Equality Duty Evidence Gathering Guidance considers the practical issues involved in gathering and analysing evidence about disabled people as part of the public sector Disability Equality Duty, and advises public sector bodies how to do this.
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The Disabled Workers Co-operative aims to raise the independence of disabled people (for those that want it) by enabling them to take an active role in the economy, and also to raise awareness of the contribution that disabled people make to society.
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Employment - your rights at work gives information about the kind of changes that people with learning disabilities can ask for when trying to get a job, or when employed,
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Links to useful web sites from the government and organisations relevant to local authorities can be found here, but be warned there are a lot.
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The Individual budget pilot programme is an important part of the government's agenda to give people who use public services more choice and control.
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Information for Mental Health - www.mentalhealthleeds.info
Leeds Mental Health Directory on-line. Contains searchable database of more than 800 services and organsiations working on mental health in Leeds. Accessible to people with visial and motor impairments, and includes British Sign Language video pages.
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The Office for Disability Issues' website is well worth looking at.
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Ouch is a website from the BBC. Its aim is to reflect the lives of disabled people here and now. They do email a weekly update.
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Policy Hub - this website aims to promote strategic thinking and improve policy making across Government.
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For information about easy access to bus services in West Yorkshire - www.wymetro.com
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The Alliance for Inclusive Education is a national network of individuals, families and groups who work together to help change the education system.
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Every Disabled Child Matters is a campaign by four leading organsiations working with disabled children and their families. They want all disabled children and their families to have the right to the services and support they need to lead ordinary lives.
Is work good for your health and well-being?, the report of a government commissioned study, claims that employment improves your health.
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The Leeds Careers website has information about careers, qualifications, job. courses and much more.
Local groups/ organisations
(in alphabetical order)
Care and Repair aims to help older people, disabled people and people on low incomes live in safe, warm, secure, well-maintained and adapted homes.
D.R.E.A.M. have just launched their website.
Leeds City Council's website has information about the services it provides.
Leeds Involvement Project aims to unite the voices of Service Users and Carers in working towards the improvement of community care in Leeds. The project supports a number of different groups, using a
community development approach and the social model of disability.
Membership of the Leeds Older People's Forum is open to voluntary organisations who are working with older people.
Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People at Centenary House in Leeds supports the needs of sensory impaired people in Leeds.
Leeds Learning Disabilities Forum works with and for learning disabled people in Leeds.
Musical ARC provides music opportunities for people with physical and sensory impairments.
They have a regular group which meets on Mondays at the West Park Centre, and they lead outreach sessions in other places. They give concerts around Leeds and beyond.
Special abilities is a non profit social enterprise which has been set up to provide services and achieve sustainability whilst helping hundreds of disabled children and their families.
Volition is an alliance of voluntary sector organisations that either provide mental health services for or work with people who have mental health needs.
Voluntary Action-Leeds (VA-L) exists to support and build the capacity of other voluntary and community organisations in the Leeds area.
The William Merritt Disabled Living Centre and Mobility Service provides impartial advice, information and assessment on equipment and parctical aspects of daily living for disabled people of all ages, their carers, professionals and older people. The leaflet is also available as an audio CD in 11 languages - Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Kurdish, Punjabi and Urdu.
National groups/ organisations
(in alphabetical order)
AbilityNet helps disabled people adults and children use computers and the internet.
Assist UK (formerly the Disabled Living Centres Council) looks at practical solutions for independence. They want the way disability equipment is designed and provided to be influenced by those who use it.
Asbah is the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
The Association of Wheelchair Children (AWC) is a specialist national charity providing expert mobility training and advice to wheelchair-using children and their families across the UK and Ireland.
Cerebra is an organisation, based in Carmarthen, which works to promote, protect and improve early neurological health and well-being; facilitates understanding and knowledge; supports parents and carers, and provides direct financial support to children with related conditions.
direct.gov.uk is a government website which has information about public services all in one place. There is a guide to financial support for disabled people, plus links to other websites about employment, financial support, home and housing options, health and support, education and training, rights and obligations - and lots more.
HelpLive: Disability Rights Commission launches new online service
The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is currently running a consultation about the definition of 'disability'. You can see the consultation document at Disability Debate
The website of the Disability Rights Commission carries a great deal of useful information.
govconnect.gov.uk - this site is an initiative by local authorities, the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and ther Cabinet Office, providing a common infrastructure for secure electronic interaction between local government, central government and citizens.
The description may not sound interesting but the site is worth a look.
The Independent Living Funds were set up as a national resource dedicated to the financial support of disabled people enabling them to choose to live in the community rather than residential care.
info4local provides quick and easy access to information from more than 65 government departments, agencies and public bodies. You can register for an email alert.
In May the duties of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, including most of those related to disability, were taken over by a new Department for Communities and Local Government.
The Office of Public Sector Information is at the heart of information policy, setting standards, delivering access and encouraging re-use of public sector information. It has access to UK legislation.
The Government has set up the Office for Disability Issues. If you want to take part in future consultation work on particular topics, you can email office-for-disability-issues@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
RADAR is a national disability network.
Together we can is a Government action plan led by the Home Office and signed up to by twelve other governement departments. Its aim is to transform the relationship between citizens and the state, to pass more power, control and influence from the centre to local communities.
Social Services (in the broader sense)
Skills for Care works in consultation with carers, employers and service users aiming to modernise adult social care in England.
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FAST (The Face, Arm, Speech Test) can help you recognise the symptoms of a stroke. Stroke is a medical emergency. By calling 999, you can help someone reach hospital quickly and receive the early treatment they need.
F |
A |
S |
T |
Facial weakness |
Arm weakness |
Speech problems |
Test these symptoms |
For more information, go to The Stroke Association website - campaigns - current campaigns - Stroke is a medical emergency.
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Children living with inherited metabolic diseases
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is an agency protecting and p[romoting public health and patient safety by ensuring that medicines, healthcare products and medical equipment meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, performance and effectiveness, and are used safely.
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SPARC (Strategic Promotion of Ageing Research Capacity). Much of their research applies as much to disabled people as to older people.
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For a small cost, the Cinema Exhibitors' Association (CEA) Card allows a disabled person a free ticket for an accompanying person at participating cinemas.
The CEA site (above) has a link about audio description.
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DIsabledGo provides access information about cities across the UK. Leeds is one of the cities they cover.
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EXTEND provides recreational movement to music for men and women over 60 and for disabled people. Their mission is to promote health, increase mobility and independence, improve strength, co-ordination and balance and to counteract loneliness and isolation.
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Leeds Area Riding for the Disabled aims to provide disabled people with the opportunity to ride or carriage drive.
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Leeds City Council's Sport and Active Recreation Programme for Disabled People is available on the Council web site. From the Home Page, follow Living/ Sport, recreation and leisure/ Sport development/ Disability.
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This is not specifically a disability issue but I was pleased to get the information. Increasingly companies use 0870 number which can be expensive. This website might be the answer.
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If you have tried all of the above, and you want to look at something a bit different, then you might want to look at some of these.
May 5th to 12th is National Doughnut Week. You can find fascinating doughnut facts!
Acronyms and abbreviations If you want to find what acronyms and abbreviations stand for.
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Find out more about fair trade.
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We tend to take water on tap for granted, but many people in the world live far away from a fresh water source. This is one idea.
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Pointless websites? Just that.
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